The Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) has formed a coalition with major UK charities and children's rights activists calling on the Government to make the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) part of UK law.  The coalition responds here to the Government's Green Paper on a future Bill of Rights and Responsibilities (published on 23 March 2009) and considers the opportunities it presents - and misses - for children in the UK.

Coalition members

The coalition's member organisations are the Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), NCB, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Scope, Save the Children UK and Unicef UK.  A list of our individual supporters is available upon request.

Coalition statement on the Green Paper

The coalition for UNCRC incorporation welcomes the Government's placing of children at the heart of the Green Paper, and its recognition of the UNCRC as a crucial instrument to achieve change for children.  However, we believe the Government must go much further.

The Government has expressed a strong vision to make this country the best place in the world for children to grow up.  We believe this can only be achieved by making the UNCRC part of UK law, bringing it within the reach of all children in the UK regardless of their circumstances or setting.   The proposed Bill of Rights and Responsibilities presents a unique opportunity to make this happen. 

The Government has taken important steps in this Green Paper by recognising the need to foster greater respect for children and young people in UK society and by explicitly acknowledging children as rights holders, as well as drawing attention to the responsibility of wider society towards children.  The Government has also crucially emphasised the importance of ensuring that children's existing rights remain in place - including those protected under the Human Rights Act - and that any new measures build on these safeguards.

However, we are disappointed that the Government has not set out any plans to incorporate the UNCRC into UK law, nor to create any new enforceable rights for children.  We also remain concerned about the Government's proposals for more explicit links between rights and responsibilities, the implications of which still do not have appear to have been fully thought through.

The Government is right to put children at the heart of its plans.  However, if it is to have any chance of creating the best place in the world for children to grow up, it must do much more.  We look forward to the continuing debate.

For more information or to join the coalition, contact Katy Swaine.